What you need to know about Arator the Redeemer going into Midnight

Arator the Redeemer son of Alleria Windrunner and High Exarch Turalyon has been an occasional presence in the narrative of World of Warcraft until now but with Midnight he’ll be moving to the forefront, stepping out from the light and the shadow cast by his famous parents to forge his own story. Arator is the focal point of the new prequel novel Blood Ties, as well as one of three leveling paths in the expansion. But who is Arator? What events have led him to this moment in the spotlight? And where may his path lead him in Midnight and beyond?

Abandonment and connection

Arator was born to Alleria and Turalyon sometime after the Second War ended and before the departure of the Alliance Expedition into Outland. While his exact age and date of birth is not known, Alleria remembers him as an infant in the animated short Alleria: Light and Shadow as the Expedition gathered in Nethergarde Keep. There he was given to Alleria’s sister Vereesa Windrunner for safekeeping in his parents’ absence. After the Dark Portal was sealed behind them the Expedition was presumed deceased and Vereesa along with her husband Rhonin raised Arator; when their twins were born in the year 25 ADP he was already grown and able to guide them.

While his natural parents were absent Arator was able to find comfort in the Light, and both he and Alleria felt each others’ presence through it. When her statue in the Valley of Heroes was unveiled when he was a boy he sensed the love of his mother that she sent to him through the Light. It was the grace provided by his connection to her through the Light that led him to train as a Paladin and later join the Knights of the Silver Hand.

The reopening of the Dark Portal

When the Dark Portal reopened at the beginning of the Burning Crusade expansion Arator was with the Alliance during the invasion of Outland. 18 years had passed since his parents had left and his search for them led him to Honor Hold where he encountered two members of the fateful expedition — Father Malgor Devidicus and Danath Trollbane. While the former struggles with sobriety, Danath is able to tell Arator that his parents have been missing for 15 years and there whereabouts are unknown — all of Outland was searched but they were gone.

Oddly enough this is the only time Arator is encountered in the Burning Crusade. As a Paladin member of the Alliance we can theorize that he may have fought alongside the Shattered Sun Offensive to defend the Sunwell from the Burning Legion but there is no evidence of his presence there or in Alliance actions against the Lich King or Deathwing — though there is nothing to say he wasn’t there so it’s possible that in Blood Ties or later his role will be expanded. Regardless, it isn’t until the Burning Legion returns in Legion that Arator is encountered again by the player.

Reunited against the Legion

Arator is one of several champions in the Paladin class hall in Legion and is present there for the rebirth of the Order of the Silver Hand and the ascension of its new Highlord. An important moment for Arator is the recovery of the Light’s Heart — the sentience core of the naaru Xe’ra — for it contained messages from Turalyon both for the defenders of Azeroth and his son. When Arator approached the Light’s Heart his father appears and warns him and the gathered Paladins that the Nathrezim Balnazzar was being sent against Azeroth in vengeance.

The Knights of the Silver Hand led by Arator mobilized against a Legion portal in Felblaze Ingress in Azsuna but were captured and imprisoned on Niskara. Freed by the Highlord and the High Priest of the Conclave (aka the Priest player character), the escapees encounter a “mysterious stranger” — who turns out to be the Nathrezim Lothraxion — who warns of Balnazzar’s imminent attack on Netherlight Temple, the Priest class hall. Hastening there Arator takes part in its defense alongside the Silver Hand until the defeat of Balnazzar upon the arrival of the Lothraxion and the Army of Light.

After the events in the Tomb of Sargeras led to Argus’ presence in Azeroth’s sky, the Great Prophet Velen leads Azeroth’s heroes — including Arator and Vereesa — there on the Vindicaar. It is on Argus that Arator is finally reunited with the parents that have been absent most of his life and while Alleria pledges they will not leave him again, Arator’s joy at their reunion is tempered by the uncertainty of having to treat with them as people instead of legends.

There is no similar misgiving about the mission on Argus and Arator is present defending the Vindicaar from an assault on Krokuun, and is also part of the assault on Antorus the Burning Throne alongside his parents.

Prelude to Midnight

Arator has been largely absent from the game since Legion although he has had a role in a few published works. He primarily resides in Silvermoon City but was present for the wedding of Lor’themar Theron and Thalyssra in Suramar where he appears to have struck up a close friendship with Dagran Thaurissan II. His mother also visits him in Silvermoon City during her hunt for the Harbringer in the short story A Whisper of Warning; relations among all three members of the family are strained as Arator is still adjusting to his parents’ return while they are still struggling with Alleria’s embrace of the Void. She wishes him to stay out of the coming fight but he refuses, citing his duty and the stubbornness they share to support it.

The novel Blood Ties brings the family together once again to deal with an old threat — a former lieutenant of the Burning Legion looking to launch a new campaign of destruction. While this appears to be a diversion from the main story of the Worldsoul Saga it is likely that Alleria’s presence ensures that the machinations of Xal’atath are not forgotten.

Arator’s path in Midnight and beyond

In Midnight we are given the campaign option to work with Arator as he journeys across Azeroth looking for relics of the Light and dealing with existential threats to it. We are promised that Arator will use the lessons learned to decide what path he will take as a servant of the Light and if you’ve played through the beta you’ll know that he does (no spoilers here) promising a change from how we’ve known him up until this time.

A question remains: why is Arathor getting a starring role now? Sure, a large part of it could be nepotism as his mother had a large role in The War Within and his father will likely be a strong presence with the Army of Light in defense of the Sunwell but I tend to think his role is less about who his parents are and more about who he is. In many ways he is a “child of light and shadow” and while Paladins don’t have a specialization similar to Disciple Priests where Light and Void are used together, one could easily see Arator taking on a similar function in an attempt both to reconcile his parents but also to ensure the Void isn’t treated as an enemy with one exception. I don’t mean to suggest that Arator himself will become some sort of Void Paladin but I expect that as his role in the fight against Xal’atath (and whatever challenges await later in the Worldsoul Saga) increases, he’ll be portrayed less as a champion of the Light like his father and more of a defender of Azeroth.